Having once again come to terms with his standing, Rest nonetheless spent some time recuperating in the royal capital.
Regarding the development of the Sabnock Plains, there was no longer any need for Rest to get involved.
The subjugation of the Corrosion Beasts had been completed, and the Elder Worm had been slain as well.
Monsters still lingered, but… the nobles and adventurers participating in the development expedition could handle the rest.
If anything, there were more people who would rather Rest not take center stage anymore.
Quite a few people were jealous of Rest, who had been charging up the ranks of success by racking up achievements.
There were probably even nobles who would have actively tried to eliminate him if not for the protection of House Rosemary and the royal family's patronage.
From here on out, Rest would be building a town on the land that had been granted to him.
The time for actively carving out uncharted wilderness had, for the time being, come to an end.
"Then let's go on a date! It's been so long since it's just the two of us!"
Viola declared with her voice raised high.
Today, she and Rest were going out alone together. In other words, a date.
Once the holiday was over, they would need to begin construction of their base, so the plan was to make the most of their precious day off.
After Rest was excluded from the discussion and the girls hashed it out among themselves… the verdict was that today he would go out with Viola, tomorrow with Primula, and the day after with Yuri.
"I've gone out with you and Primula together plenty of times, but it's been a while since it's just the two of us. It feels kind of strange, doesn't it?"
"Yeah… it's true, the three of us were usually together."
Rest nodded at Viola's words.
The two of them were walking arm in arm through the streets of the royal capital.
Both Rest and Viola were dressed in slightly fashionable outfits — something a step above their usual attire.
Setting Rest aside for the moment... Viola was an extraordinarily beautiful girl.
People passing by, especially the men, blushed as they turned their heads to look back at Viola.
"Today is my choice for where we go, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
Today was Viola's day.
He had decided to respect Viola's wishes on where to go.
(Well, I mean... this is the third day in a row we're going on dates. There's no way I could come up with three separate plans, so this actually works out better for me...)
He had plans to go out with Primula tomorrow and Yuri the day after, but it felt rude to take them all to the same place.
Even so... there was no way a clueless guy like Rest could pull off juggling three date plans at once.
"There's a place I've been wanting to go for a while. This way."
"This is...?"
Viola led him to a small café.
He had been to plenty of cafés before, but what made this one different?
"You'll see once we go in."
Pulled along by Viola with a mischievous smile on her face, Rest stepped inside and immediately grasped the café's concept.
"Meow."
"This place is...!"
The moment they entered, tiny creatures came to greet them.
Cats. The shop was filled with cats, and the customers were doting on them.
"A cat café...!"
"This is a newly opened one recently. I've wanted to come here for a while."
Viola lets out a bright voice.
It seemed Viola was a cat lover.
"You must be surprised. To have so many cats running loose inside a shop."
"I am surprised... Yeah, really."
I never imagined there'd be a cat café in another world.
Who on earth could have created this shop?
(It's obviously a Japanese idea... Could it be another reincarnated person...?)
"It seems this shop was created by a certain woman... She was apparently a maid who served the queen dowager. It seems the idea to make a cat café was also suggested by the queen dowager."
"The queen dowager... Is it Shoko again..."
Apparently, this shop was also based on an idea from Sanada Shoko.
Her influence seemed stronger than expected.
"I heard the queen dowager had all sorts of problems... But since she suggests shops like this, she doesn't seem so bad, does she?"
"So there are no bad people who love cats? Well, I don't know about that."
In any case... since we're here, we might as well take our time.
I'd never visited a cat café in my past life.
"This seat here is free. Let's sit down."
"Yeah, let's do that."
Rest and Viola sat down side-by-side on the carpet spread on the floor.
There were many cats in the shop, but... they were either taking naps or watching them from a distance, so none came near.
"Hmm... nobody's coming over. Should I go to them instead?"
"No, Rest! Cats are naturally wary creatures, you know!"
Viola whispered, chiding him.
"Let's just sit here and wait for them to get used to us."
"...Okay."
Rest sat down as Viola said and waited... until one cat came padding over with light, deliberate steps.
"Meow."
"...!"
The white cat hopped onto Rest's lap.
It stretched out its body, looking thoroughly comfortable, and drifted off to sleep.
"Well, this is..."
"You're lucky! Not many cats jump right onto your lap like that."
"A-ah... yeah... guess so..."
Rest swallowed hard.
He hadn't had much experience with cats before... but seeing one relaxing so contentedly on his lap like this, he couldn't help but find it adorable.
"Purrr..."
"She's... she's so cute... I'm so jealous..."
"She really is cute..."
Feeling the warmth of the cat against him, Rest was genuinely moved.
(Not that I don't feel like I'm being treated as a glorified cushion or anything... but still, there's something fun about being wrapped around someone's finger like this.)
There's probably a certain connection between being pushed around by a cat and being pushed around by girls.
The fact that Rest, who tends to get pushed around by girls, has fallen for the cat might just be destiny.